Disposable container



1967 w. E. BEAUMONT 3,306,515

DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed June a, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a y 8 f INVENTORQ 60 W/zmwf flame/v7 Feb 1967 w. E. BEAUMONT DISPOSABLE CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1964 Feb. 28, 1967 w, E, BEAUMONT 3,306,515

DISPOSABLE CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 8; 1964 7 N J R mM yM W m n & A M

Feb. 28, 1967 w. E. BEAUMONT 3,306,515

DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed June 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VE N TOR. W/[l/AMf/M/M/l/f 3,306,515 DISPOSABLE CONTAINER William E. Beaumont, Monterey Park, Calif., assignor to Nicholas E. Griflin, Pasadena, Calif. Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,271 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-22) This invention is directed to disposable containers particularly arranged to be folded completely flat and having a structure which tends to be stable.

This invention may be used to contain any type of fluid or granular material and is particularly adapted for use as a disposable urinal and will be described as such.

The conventional urinals used in most hospitals are not disposable and present a sanitary problem as well as a labor difliculty, for the cleaning of such equipment is a disagreeable task which most people do not willingly assume. However, the structures as heretofore proposed as disposable urinals have not been successful for a number of reasons. Some have been too complicated and expensive and those within economic reach have been flimsy or require excessive storage space.

The disposable urinals which have been used in the past have had a number of disadvantages. Some of the prior disposable urinals have had folding arrangements which did not allow the urinal to be folded completely flat, making storage of unused urinals a great problem and making the disposable urinal at best a poor substitute for the conventional urinal. Other previous attempts have been particularly 'prone to structures which are not stable in their normal position when unused, and also unstable during use and after use. Some previous disposable urinals have been a chore to use by the average hospital patient who often had a tendency to overturn the used device and cause a sanitary problem. Other problems, which have been found in prior collapsible containers, are centered about the folding arrangements on the interior of the container, which have a tendency to inhibit drainage of contained fluids that cause a disagreeableodor upon standing.

In accordance with my present invention, I have eliminated some of the disadvantages of prior disposable containers. One outstanding feature of my invention is an arrangement of a container which is very stable as the fluid is disposed within it. Further, in accordance with my invention, a longitudinal crease is placed upon the bottom portion of the container making its sidewalls devoid of creases, which aids in the strength of the container. By an arrangement in which a crease along the bottom wall is folded inwardly as the entire container is folded, the folded profile of the container is substantially the same size as the largest sidewall making the folded container a very compact package. The folding arrangement of my invention further facilitates opening as a force is applied to two sidewalls, the container easily assumes a normal position. The creasing arrangement along the bottom further aids in stabilizing the container when filled, since the addition of a mass within the container further tends to increase stability. The container has its center of gravity disposed within the vertical extension of the container base which is a substantially larger surface with relation to the overall height and width of the container.

One aspect of a container constructed according to the present invention includes a triangular base with a pair of first walls each having four sides and a first edge at tached to one edge of the base. The first walls each have a second edge, adjacent the first edge, attached to each other. A second wall has four edges with a first edge attached to the base and two edges adjacent the first edge attached to the first walls, thereby forming a triangular shaped opening between the first and second walls.

. United States Patent These and other aspects of the invention will become understood completely in the light of the following detailed description of the presently preferred examples. The description is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1 shown in a folded position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the inside surface of the container in FIG. 1, unfolded to show the single sheet of material used for its construction;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the container in a folded position, the section taken along lines 66 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the handle, the section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through the lip of the container opening, the section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the container constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of the embodiment of the container illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the container illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 arranged in a folded position; and

FIG. 12 is a front elevation of an alternative embodiment quite similar to that illustrated in FIG. 10 with a damming means formed in the opening to restrict the forward flow of the fluid disposed within the container.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the container 10 includes a triangular base 12, a first and second identical trapezoidal-shaped sides 14 and 16, and a third trapezoidal side 18. Sides 14, 16, and 18 form the periphery of the container and define an opening 20 formed in the uppermost portion of the container 10. The particular shape of the opening 20 is triangular in the embodiment illustrated; however, the particular shape of the opening may be changed for the sake of convenience in the use of the container. For example, an elliptical or circular opening may be formed by changing the edge of the sides adjacent the opening to conform to this shape.

While the container may be constructed from a fairly rigid material such as sheet metal, the preferred construction for the container 10 is preferably from an impermeable, flexible material, Examples of acceptable material for the invention include a heavy cardboard 7 known in the trade as tag board coated with one mil of polyethylene on its surfaces to preserve the cleanliness of the container and help retain fluid within the container while in use. Polyethylene is used in the preferred embodiment since this material may be heat sealed between adjacent surfaces thereby providing both impermea bility and an adhesive quality.

Container 10 is preferably fabricated from flat sheet stock which has been cut in shape similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5 and folded along the dotted lines into positions illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. Those portions of the sides which abut one another are held together by an adhesive and in the case of a cardboard covered with polyethylene may be attached one to another by applying heat to the exterior of the cardboard to polymerize the polyethylene.

'5 .3; crease 23 at the base 12, and a second crease 24 is formed along the upper edge of each side. A handle 22 is integrally formed with side 14 to extend from crease 24, and includes surfaces 26 and 28 which are folded on one another and secured together as shown in FIG. 7. Two elongated flaps 30, 32 are cut out along the elongated U-shaped lines 34, 36 and bend upwardly such that a hand may be inserted Within the opening formed by the cutouts.

An elongated flap 38 extends from surface 28 along a crease 39, and flap 38 overlaps wall 16 and is attached thereto. A flap 40 extends from side 16 along crease 24, and is folded back toward side 16 and secured to side 14. Thus, as best illustrated in FIG. 7, handle 22 and flaps 38 and 48 are all attached to adjacent walls forming a structural triangle which gives stability to the container 10.

In order to strengthen the forward portion of the container, a triangularly shaped flap 42 is formed of tWo triangular shaped portions 42A and 42B identical in their shape, extending between sides 14 and 18 (see FIG. and folded one upon another to be abutted against side 14. A similarly shaped triangular flap 44 is formed of two triangular portions 44A and 44B extending between sides 16 and 18 (see FIG. 5), and folded one upon another against the wall 16 as shown in FIG. 6. Flaps 42 and 44 are attached to their respective sides 14 and 16 and by this arrangement preventleakage from the container at points C and D. An elongated lip 46 is an extension of wall 16, is folded over and secured to flap 44 to secure flap 44 against side 16, and not only reinforces the forward portion of the container but avoids a sharp edge atthis point. A corresponding flap 48 formed on side 14 is attached and mounted in exactly the same manner as flap 46 to secure fiap 42 against side 14 (see FIG. 8).

The forward wall 18 also has a flap 50 integrally formed thereon and also serves the purpose of not only reinforcing the forward portion of the container, but also avoids. a sharp edge. Flap 50 is attached to wall 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 7, a rectilinear crease 54 extends from a corner A of base 12 and is projected at right angles to an edge 58 of the base 12. A second rectilinear crease 56 is formed in wall 18 and is collinear with crease 54 extending at right angles to edge 58 of the base. A third and fourth crease 60* and 60A extend from point B, which lies on the longitudinal crease 56, diverging toward corners C and D, respectively, of the base 12. Creases 60 and 60A allow a portion of base 12 and wall 18 to be folded flat withoutwrinkling. Creases 54 and 56- divide base 12 and wall 18 into equal parts and thus make each half symmetrical.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 4 and 7, it is readily apparent that creases 54 and 56'are folded inwardly such that base 12 and wall 18 are directed within side walls 14 and 16m form a compact package which is just slightly larger in profile than the size of side Walls 14 and 16.

In opening the container after it has been folded flat from the position illustrated in FIG. 4, pressure may be applied to the side walls 14 and 16 thereby tending to force these Walls outwardly allowing corners C and D on the base 12 to slide along a stable support until the container assumes an open position as illustrated in FIGS. l-3. This arrangement of having a longitudinal crease along the bottom and one side of the container is a feature of the invention since the position of the creases allows the container to be easily opened, and leaves the side walls 14 and 16 free of creases to increase the stability of these walls. It should be noted that as the fluid or liquid is depoisted within the container, the added weight has a tendency of increasing the stability since this mass tends to force the crease 54 and the base 12 downwardly to be in a flat position with excessive movement being limited by the interconnected wall 18.

It should be noted that the opening 20 is almost wholly disposed exteriorly of a vertical projection of the base, i.e., the opening facilitates the use of the disposable con= tainer as a urinal Within the hospital room while the patient is standing, sitting, or propped in bed with little if any discomfort to the patient. An angle (see FIG. 1) which is described between the surface of base 12 and wall 18, is variable and in its broadest sense is larger than and smaller than 180 and is preferably in the area of to The inclination of wall 18 with relation to the base is varied to the needs of the user, and in the case of a disposable urinal, the angle F is preferably 135 which has been found to be best adanted for hospital use.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-3,, the center of gravity of the container is located well within the vertical projec tion of the base.

Referring now to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, another embodi= ment of my invention will now be described. A con tainer 61 includes a triangular shaped base 63, and two identical shaped four-sided flat side Walls 64, 66 are at= tached along the edges of the base 63. A flat trapezoidal= shaped front wall 68 is attached along its side edges to the walls 64, 66 and along its bottom edge to base 63. A handle 70 is constructed in much the same manner as that illustrated in FIGS. l3. The manner of construct ing and arranging the various parts is substantially iden tical to that described in regard to the previous embodi ment. The distinctive change in this embodiment relates to the angular relationship of the front wall 68 with relation' to base 63 and that the angle described in arc G is much greater than that described in the previous em= bodiment. Here the front wall 68 is much flatter rel= ative to the base and the opening 72 disposed between walls 64, 66, and 68 is also more angularly disposed relative to the base 63. This change in physical relationship is basically directed to the ability of the container to maintain walls 64 and 66 flat without the need for additional folds or flaps. Thus, in essence, the need for the flaps 42 and 44 as shown in FIG. 6 of the previous embodiment, has been eliminated. This arrangement allows the container to remain flatter and is simpler in ap pearance.

The manner of attaching the various components of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9-11 is exactly the same as that described in regard to FIGS. l-3 and statements made in the above description are applicable in this embodiment.

A. dam. or flap 78 as illustrated in FIG. 12 may be disposed on the upper Wall 68 tolirnitthe-amount of opening through which a fluidv may escape during its use or during disposal. The particular configuration of the upper portion on flap 78 is curvilinear in nature in an attempt to provide a dam and still allow its use without discomfort.

While the embodiments constructed according to my invention are especially adapted for use by males, the

size and shape of the container may be varied to adapt it for feminine use.

I claim:

1. A collapsible, disposable urinal formed from a flat, unitary sheet of an impermeable material, and comprisa hollow frustum of a pyramid having a triangular opening and having a substantially isosceles-triangular base with first and second side legs and a base the frustum including first and second substantially flat and congruent walls integrally secured along the first and second side legs respectively of the base, the first and second walls extending upwardly from the base toward each other and secured together along their upper edges;

the frustum having a third, substantially flat trapezoidal wall having a lower edge integrally secured to the 5 base along the base leg, and having side edges integrally joined to the first and second walls;

the frustum base having a first transverse crease formed along the base leg and a central first longitudinal crease extending across the base between the side legs to intersect the transverse crease, and

the third wall having a central second longitudinal crease beginning at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse creases in the base and extending across the third wall,

whereby the base and third wall are foldable along the creases to be collapsed between the first and second walls and to collapse the hollow frusturn to a substantially flat shape.

2. The urinal defined in claim 1, in which the third wall has second and third transverse creases beginning at a point spaced from the base leg along the second longitudinal crease and extending across the third wall to opposite ends of the base leg.

3. The urinal defined in claim 2, in which the third wall is oriented at an obtuse angle to the base when the urinal is erected, whereby a majority of a vertical projection of the triangular opening falls outside the base when the base is horizontal.

6 4. The urinal defined in claim 3 in which the obtuse angle is about 135 degrees, and in which an apertured handle is integrally secured along the upper edge of one of the first and second walls and is fastened along the upper edge of the other of the first and second walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 641,500 l/1900 Davidson. 2,298,146 10/1942 Mersbach 229-22 X 3,005,992 10/1961 Sullivan 4-110 3,099,017 7/1963 Sullivan 4110 3,163,868 1/1965 Stelle 4-110 3,175,683 3/1965 Billing 229--22 X 3,200,415 8/1965 Breece 4-1 10 3,216,644 11/ 1965 Harrison et a1. 229--22 3,217,968 11/1965 Clarke 229-22 I FOREIGN PATENTS 151,838 9/1951 Australia. 502,266 3/ 1939 Great Britain.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE, DISPOSABLE URINAL FORMED FROM A FLAT, UNITARY SHEET OF AN IMPERMEABLE MATERIAL, AND COMPRISING: A HOLLOW FRUSTUM OF A PYRAMID HAVING A TRIANGULAR OPENING AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY ISOCELES-TRIANGULAR BASE WITH FIRST AND SECOND SIDE LEGS AND A BASE LEG; THE FRUSTUM INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND CONGRUENT WALLS INTEGRALLY SECURED ALONG THE FIRST AND SECOND SIDE LEGS RESPECTIVELY OF THE BASE, THE FIRST AND SECOND WALLS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BASE TOWARD EACH OTHER AND SECURED TOGETHER ALONG THEIR UPPER EDGES; THE FRUSTUM HAVING A THIRD, SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TRAPEZOIDAL WALL HAVING A LOWER EDGE INTEGRALLY SECURED TO THE BASE ALONG THE BASE LEG, AND HAVING SIDE EDGES INTEGRALLY JOINED TO THE FIRST AND SECOND WALLS; THE FRUSTUM BASE HAVING A FIRST TRANSVERSE CREASE FORMED ALONG THE BASE LEG AND A CENTRAL FIRST LONGITUDINAL CREASE EXTENDING ACROSS THE BASE BETWEEN THE SIDE LEGS TO INTERSECT THE TRANSVERSE CREASE, AND THE THIRD WALL HAVING A CENTRAL SECOND LONGITUDINAL CREASE BEGINNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE CREASES IN THE BASE AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE THIRD WALL, WHEREBY THE BASE AND THIRD WALL ARE FOLDABLE ALONG THE CREASES TO BE COLLAPSED BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND WALLS AND TO COLLAPSE THE HOLLOW FRUSTUM TO A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SHAPE. 